1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a master manipulator of a master-slave type manipulator, in which when an operator operates the master manipulator, a slave manupulator accurately moves in accordance with the movement of the master manipulator. The manipulator of this type is used to perform some work or operations from the outside of a space in which a worker or an operator cannot enter because of a dangerous situation for some reason or other.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In some dangerous spaces, compartments or establishment as in atomic energy facilities, an operator cannot enter thereinto to perform some work or operations, because of the radioactive atmosphere. When something is required to move from the outside in such a radioactive space as described, a master-slave type manipulator is used. In this manipulator, when an operator operates a master manipulator outside the radioactive atmosphere, a slave manipulator disposed inside the radioactive atmosphere is moved in accordance with the movement of the master manipulator in order to perform necessary work or operations. The master manipulator of this type is usually provided with a grip member mounted on an arm member. The operator can operate the grip member by bending or twisting his hand about or near the wrist. The above operator hand motions are usually a vertical hand bending motion, a horizontal hand bending motion and a hand twisting motion.
In the prior-art master manipulator, however, the members for the vertical hand bending motion, the horizontal hand bending motion and the hand twisting motion are not arranged collectively but arranged on a straight line and therefore the motional directions of the master manipulator does not match those of the operator wrist. In other words, there exits a problem in that the grip motion or the operator hand wrist motion of the operator is not intuitive in relation to the motion of the slave manipulator. In addition, there exists other drawbacks such that the weight and the inertia of the grip member are relatively great to smoothly operate the manipulator and also the space of the grip member within which the operator hand is placed is relatively small to comfortably operate the manipulator.